A Journey into the Unknown Depths

The ocean is vast, mysterious, and largely unexplored. If you already have a fear of deep waters, the footage from this underwater encounter will likely send shivers down your spine.

A submersible, operated by OceanX, recently made a jaw-dropping discovery as it navigated the ocean floor. What it captured on camera left scientists in shock and etched a new chapter in marine exploration history.

If you’ve ever wondered what lurks in the darkest parts of the ocean, this footage provides an up-close and eerie answer. But beyond the thrill of the moment, it also serves as a powerful reminder of just how little we know about Earth’s most unexplored frontier.

Scientists estimate that over 80% of the ocean remains unmapped—a staggering statistic that underscores the importance of deep-sea missions like this one. The creatures that live in these depths have adapted to conditions unlike anywhere else on the planet, surviving in extreme pressure, total darkness, and freezing temperatures.

So, when the OceanX sub came face-to-face with a living relic from prehistoric times, it wasn’t just a viral video moment—it was an incredible scientific breakthrough.

An Unprecedented Moment in Marine Science

The groundbreaking footage, originally posted on the OceanX YouTube channel in 2020, shows the moment a team of deep-sea explorers came face-to-face with a colossal, prehistoric sea predator. The mission wasn’t just about observation—it was about making history.

The pre-historic shark helped the team tag an animal from a submersible for the first time ever (**Youtube/OceanX**)

OceanX partnered with the Cape Eleuthera Institute for a first-of-its-kind experiment: attempting to tag a deep-sea predator from a submersible. Their target? The ancient and elusive bluntnose sixgill shark—a species that has dominated the ocean depths for tens of millions of years, even outlasting dinosaurs.

This was no easy feat. Unlike most marine research efforts, where scientists rely on surface tagging methods, this team aimed to do something never done before—tag the shark while it was still on the ocean floor. Traditional tagging requires bringing an animal to the surface, which can cause stress and affect its behavior. But this revolutionary deep-sea tagging method allowed scientists to gather real, undisturbed data on how these creatures move and hunt in their natural habitat.

The significance of this breakthrough is enormous. Tracking deep-sea sharks can help scientists better understand migration patterns, behavior, and even how climate change is affecting ocean ecosystems. With rising concerns about overfishing and marine biodiversity loss, discoveries like this give scientists the tools they need to protect and conserve these ancient predators before it’s too late.

🔗 Learn more about the mission and watch the full video here: OceanX YouTube

Social Media Spotlight: Viral Reactions and Trending Posts

The breathtaking footage of the bluntnose sixgill shark didn’t just captivate marine scientists—it took social media by storm. The video quickly went viral, sparking heated discussions about the mysteries of the deep sea and what other ancient creatures might still be out there.

Here are some of the most engaging posts from social media platforms where users reacted in awe and shock:

🔥 Twitter/X Post:

🚨 Scientists just came face-to-face with a shark that predates dinosaurs—and the footage is TERRIFYING 😱. Watch as this giant sixgill shark pushes its nose against the sub! Could there be more prehistoric monsters lurking in the deep? 🌊
📽️ Watch here ➡️ OceanX on Twitter
#DeepSeaMysteries #SharkEncounter #OceanExploration

📷 Instagram Post:

🐋 Would you dare to be THIS close to a prehistoric sea monster? 😱 This sixgill shark, which has been around since the time of the dinosaurs, just made history in this jaw-dropping footage! 🔬💙
📽️ Watch the full encounter now!
👉 OceanX Instagram
#UnderwaterWorld #SharksOfInstagram #MarineLife

📺 YouTube Community Post:

🌊 BREAKING: Scientists come face to face with a prehistoric predator!
This bluntnose sixgill shark is one of the ocean’s most ancient creatures—and this is the FIRST time it has ever been tagged from a submersible! The footage is absolutely mind-blowing.
🔗 Watch the full video here: OceanX YouTube
📢 What other deep-sea creatures do you think are still undiscovered? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇

🛑 Reddit Discussion Post:

📢 R/OceanMysteries: Scientists Just Encountered a Prehistoric Giant Shark at the Ocean Floor – Thoughts?
Guys, you NEED to see this. OceanX just shared a crazy video of their submersible coming face-to-face with a sixgill shark—an ancient predator from the time of the dinosaurs. The way it rolls its eyes before swimming away is straight-up eerie. 😨
🦈 Full video here: OceanX YouTube
Would you go down in a sub to see one of these up close? 👀

Meet the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark – A Living Fossil

The bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) is a remarkable creature that has barely changed over the course of evolution. Fossil records suggest that its ancestors date back more than 200 million years. Unlike other sharks, which have five gill slits, this species has six, a feature that hints at its ancient lineage.

These deep-sea hunters can grow up to 20 feet long, making them one of the largest predatory sharks in the ocean. But what makes them even more fascinating is how little we know about them. They dwell in the midnight zone of the ocean—depths that remain largely unexplored by humans.

Their deep-water habitat means that they experience extreme pressure and total darkness, making them one of the most mysterious sharks in the world. Scientists have found that these sharks play a crucial role in the deep-sea food chain, preying on fish, squid, and even other sharks.

Unlike the well-known great white shark, which relies on speed to chase down prey, the sixgill shark is a stealth hunter. It moves slowly, conserving energy, and ambushes its prey with surprising agility when the time is right. This low-energy lifestyle is part of what has allowed it to survive for so many millions of years.

🔗 More about sixgill sharks: National Geographic

The Shocking Moment: Face to Face with a Giant

In the chilling footage, the OceanX submersible comes into direct contact with a massive bluntnose sixgill shark. As the team maneuvers the sub to tag the creature, they are struck by its sheer size and eerie appearance.

The lead scientist on the mission, Dr. Dean Grubbs from FSU Marine Lab, led the efforts to place a satellite tag on the shark. This was a huge breakthrough—previously, scientists could only tag these sharks after bringing them to the surface.

The shark’s pupils were deep green as it glanced up (**Youtube/OceanX**)

The video shows the massive shark swimming toward the sub, its deep green eyes glowing eerily in the darkness.

One scientist exclaims, “Oh, wow!” while another adds, “Look at the width of that thing!”

This wasn’t just a routine encounter. Seeing a shark of this size up close, in its natural habitat, was something few researchers have ever experienced. The reaction of the scientists inside the sub made it clear—this was a moment they would never forget.

🔗 Read Dr. Dean Grubbs’ research on deep-sea sharks: FSU Marine Lab

Social Media Reacts: ‘That Eye Close-Up Was Wicked!’

After the footage was released, people flooded the comment sections with reactions ranging from awe to pure terror.

One YouTube user wrote:
💬 “If not the size, this shark’s eye alone would have given me a straight heart attack.”

Another added:
💬 “That eye close-up was wicked. Imagine seeing that staring at you in the deep ocean!”

A third user summed it up perfectly:
💬 “Scientists: ‘Whoa.’ That’s when you KNOW it’s serious.”

Beyond YouTube, the video spread across Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram, sparking conversations about the mysteries of the deep sea. Some users compared the sixgill shark to a real-life sea monster, while others joked that it looked like something out of a horror movie.

🔗 Join the conversation: OceanX on Twitter

Final Thoughts: The Ocean is Still Full of Secrets

The bluntnose sixgill shark is just one of the many incredible species lurking in the unexplored depths of our oceans. With every new mission, scientists are uncovering more secrets hidden beneath the waves.

The fact that creatures from prehistoric times are still thriving in our oceans reminds us just how much we have yet to learn. What else is out there, lurking in the abyss?

The discovery made by OceanX is just the beginning. As technology advances, new deep-sea exploration missions could uncover entirely unknown species, shedding light on the darkest and most mysterious parts of our planet.

Who knows what the next submersible will find?

🔗 Watch the full encounter here: OceanX YouTube

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/OceanX